Pilates Exercise: Hip and Glute Stretch

Time for a hip and glute stretch! It’s a very simple stretch and can help relieve discomfort in your back and bum.

This video has not been modified for injury or chronic pain issues. Please talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise routine. You want to skip this exercise if you are in acute pain in your back, neck, hip, or glutes.

We’re going to sit cross-legged, either foot in front, it doesn’t matter. We start facing one side, in line with the knee, and we’re going to take a breath in and then on the exhale, we roll down through the spine over the direction of the knee you’re facing, inhale and come back up.

Now, on the next exhale, you’re going to switch the degree slightly and move closer towards the center. On the exhale, you’re going to roll down and on the inhale you’re going to roll up. You’re going to repeat that, moving towards the center, exhaling on the way down and inhaling on the way up.

When you’ve gone all the way around from one knee to the other, you’re going to switch the feet and reverse your direction. Exhale and roll down towards the knee that you just finished with. Inhale and roll up.

You’re going to slowly move towards the opposite knee, making sure that you’re keeping your cheeks really heavy down on the floor. Let your neck and shoulders relax when you’re exhaling and rolling forward so you can get the spine stretch. Make sure you’re breathing, and moving with the stretch.

Now, the things that you want to be aware of, most importantly, is that your cheeks are staying heavy on the floor because you want to make sure you’re achieving as much mobility as possible. It’s very easy for the cheeks to lift up.

The other thing, is you want to make sure that you’re breathing. You want to make sure that you’re exhaling on the way down and inhaling on the way up. Moving with your breath.

Lastly, you want to make sure that when you’re exhaling and rolling down that you’re letting your neck and shoulders release so that you can feel the stretch in the back of the spine.

If you find that you’re gripping in your hips sitting cross-legged, you can boost yourself up on a bolster or some firm pillows so that your hip flexors can relax.

Let me know if you have something in particular you want me to address. I take requests! What do you want me to show you? What’s been bugging you lately? Do you want help with something specific? I want to know what you are looking for.

Stayed tuned for the next post! We will see what I have in store for you then.

Email me at pilates@thebodygallery.com for more information. I’m happy to help.
Until next time, enjoy life, have fun, and make it a great day.